Ventilating grid structure



1957 o. A. KOTTEMANN VENTILATING GRID STRUCTURE Filed Aug. 25, 1953 United States Patent VENTILATING GRID STRUCTURE Otto A. Kottemann, Charlotte, N. C., assignor to Kushion Kooler Corporation, Charlotte, N. C., a corporation of North Carolina Application August 25, 1953, Serial No. 376,286

15 Claims. (Cl. -347 This invention relates to a device designed primarily for ventilating and regulating the surface temperature of the human body. In a relatively cool atmosphere, for example, the said regulation may be accomplished by use of relatively warm air, and where the ambient air is warm, by relatively cool air or by evaporation resulting from the circulation of air over the moist surface of the body.

The primary object of the invention, therefore, is to provide an improved device for ventilating the surface of the human body for the purpose of regulating the temperature of said surface by direct thermal transfer between the surface and a fluid ventilating medium or by evaporation of moisture from the surface by action of said medium.

More specifically, the invention contemplates the provision of an air duct structure of substantial surface area adapted for surface contact with the human body and having sufficient inherent flexibility to permit the structure to conform readily and accurately to the contour of the confronting body surface, said structure having at the contact surface thereof, a plurality of openings communicating with the duct system and preferably embracing substantially the entire area of the said surface so as to reduce to a practical minimum dead-spot areas between the said system and the work surface and to obtain a maximum exposure of the work surface through said openings to the interiors of said ducts.

The invention contemplates also provision of effective means for obtaining a desirable flow of the ventilating medium over and in intimate contact with the work surface in substantially uniform distribution, as hereinafter fully described.

It is a further object to provide a structure of the stated character having suflicient inherent structural strength to maintain its essential basic form under pressure and regardless of distortion due to the fiexures of the bodyconforming character described above.

While having a primary application to ventilation and the regulation of the temperature of surfaces of the human body, the device is applicable in principle to the ventilation and regulation of temperature of, and evaporation of moisture from, surfaces generally as will be apparent from the following description.

In the attached drawings:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary face view showing a basic grid structure forming the body portion of a device according to the invention together with a top facing element of preferred type;

Figure 2 is a sectional view of the structure taken on the line 22, Figure 1;

Figure 3 i a sectional view of the structure on the line .33, Figure 1;

Figure 4 is an enlarged face view of a fragment of the top facing element showing the essential physical charand 2,807,809 Patented Oct. 1, 1957 Figure 6 is a fragmentary view in perspective showing a modification of the grid structure within the scope of the invention, and

Figure 7 is a fragmentary section perspective view showing details of the structure.

With reference to the drawing, my invention in a preferred embodiment may comprise a basic grid structure of the general form illustrated in Figures 1 to 3 inclusive. This structure comprises in effect two sets of parallel elements 1 and 2 which intersect each other at right angles to form a grid body having at one face rectangu lar openings 3. In the present instance, the width of the elements 1 and 2 is approximately and the openings 3 are approximately square. The elements 1 and 2 in the present instance are integral parts of a grid structure formed by moulding or other suitable process from a suitable material such as rubber or plastic. The preferred cross-sectional shape of the elements 1 and 2 is illustrated in Figure 3 wherein it will be noted that the sides of these elements converge toward their upper or outer edges and terminate at this edge in a radius of approximately As shown in Figure 3, the parallel elements 2 of this grid structure are approximately in height whereas the elements 1 as indicated in Figure 2 have a height of approximately Since the upper slightly rounded edges of these elements lie normally in a common plane it will be apparent, as shown in Figure 2, that the elements I extend downwardly below the bottoms of the elements 2 to the extent of approximately /s"- so that the adjoining pairs of the elements 1 define longitudinal channels 4 which extend continuously over one dimension of the grid structure and which open to the upper surface of the structure through the aforesaid openings 3.

By reference to Figure 2, it will be noted that the channels 4 are closed at the underside of the grid by a lower facing sheet 5 which may be composed of plastic or rubber or other flexible sheet material impermeable to air. This facing sheet may be secured to the bottoms of the elements 1 by vulcanization or by other suitable means or may constitute an integral part of the latter. In the present instance, an upper facing sheet 6 overlies the upper surface of the grid structure and may be secured to the latter at the edges or throughout to the upper rounded edges of the elements 1 and 2. Unlike the sheet 5, however, the sheet 6 is permeable to air and may consist, for example, of an open textile fabric whereof the individual strands are sufficiently coarse and of sufficient diameter to establish interstices running parallel to the face of the fabric so as to provide for passage of air through this facing sheet in the transverse direction or parallel to said face. The function of this facing sheet will be described below.

As previously indicated, this entire structure is of suflicient flexibility to permit ready conformity thereof under pressure to the surface contour of any object against which it might be placed. When applied in face confronting relation to a work surface, i. e. the surface which is to be ventilated, etc., the upper facing sheet 6 will constitute in effect an air-permeable spacer between the work surface and the upper narrow edges of the elements 1 and 2 of the basic grid structure. If under these conditions air pressure is applied by suitable means to the ends of the channels 4, or if these channels are evacuated by suitable means, air will be forced or drawn through the upper facing sheet and between the work surface and the confronting edges of the elements 1 and 2 to or from the openings 3 of the grid structure. It will be noted particularly that with a porous upper facing strip of the character described above, the individual openings 3 will there may be a continuous movement of air between the work surface and the grid either outwardly through the openings 3 and over the work surface, or first inwardly over that surface to the openings 3 and downwardly through the latter to the communicating channels 4. Since the openings 3 consti ute substantially the entire area of the working surface of the grid, and since the openings are connected in sets to the individual channels, the passage of the thin film of air over the work surface will be effected with substantial uniformity. In the effective distribution of the air over the work surface, facing sheet 6 plays an important part. This sheet while permeable to air has a restricting effect upon the openings 3 which tends to build up the pressure within the channels 4 and to thereby preclude flow of air from any one or more localized areas of the grid structure at the expense of other areas. Obviously, a differential air flow to or from localized areas of the grid structure may be obtained by lo'cal variations in the porosity of the facing sheet, so that the sheet may constitute a medium for differential control or regulation of the relative effective air flow at different areas of the structure.

For cooling a Work surface by evaporation, it is preferred to evacuate the channels 4 so as to get up a circulating film of air over the work surface downwardly into and through the grid structure, the device thereby functioning to remove the evaporated moisture continuously from the work surface through the grid. For cooling by circulating a relatively cool air over the work surface, a reverse flow may be found desirable wherein the air is forced into the channels 4 and outwardly through the openings 3 for distribution over the work surface by way of the upper cover sheet 6.

Where the aforedescribed structure is to be applied to the primary purpose of ventilating and regulating the surface temperature of the human body, the basic grid structure may be made of rubber having a degree of flexibility to enable the grid to adjust readily to the contour of that part of the body to which it may be applied, the resilience to enable it to return after flexure to its original form, and a durometer sutficiently high to permit the grid to maintain its essential form under body pressures, as when required to support the weight of the body, for example, and when flexed or distorted. For chair pad purposes, for example, a durometer in the neighborhood of'50 has been found suitable in a grid structure of the character described above, but the durometer will, of course, be determined by the loads to which the structure in its intended use may be subjected. Qbviously, commercial plastic compositions may be adaptable foruse as the base material for the grid, but where elevated temperatures are involved, as for example where heated air is circulated through the grid for heating purposes, rubber has been found more suitable. Internal reinforcing means for the grid elements may be used if desired. When rubber is used, the approximate dimensions given above have been found suitable, although both the dimensions and form of the basic grid structure are susceptible to modification without departure from the invention.

In use of the grid structure for the stated purposes, suitable means will be provided for introduction or evacuation of air to or from the channels 4. Such means may take the form for example of a manifold 7 communicating with the ends of the channels together with a suitable air-pressure or evacuating source (not shown) connected to the manifold. In the illustrated embodiment the walls of the manifold are integral with the rest of the grid structure, and are reinforced against possible collapse undercompressive force by an imbedded wire 10, see Figures 1 and 7. The elements 1 of the grid terminate at the inner side of the manifold as indicated at 11 so that the ends of all of the channels 4 open directly into the manifold chamber. Where a single manifold of this character is employed connected to one end of the ,ehannelgthe opposite ends may or may not be sealed as required by the conditions of use. When left open, the eifect will be in large part that which results from the rapid flow of the air through the channels. In this connection, it will be noted that while generally desirable for the reasons set forth above, the upper cover 6 is not essential to the operation of the device for some purposes, and may in some cases be deleted to advantage. It may be desirable also, as a means for air dissemination over the work surface, particularly in the absence of an upper cover, to provide the upper edges of the grid elements 1 and 2 with shallow notches at their intersections, as illustrated at 8 in Figure 6, affording passages for air between the adjoining openings 3. Similar notches 9 may also be provided in the elements at points between the intersections. In some cases also, clothing or other covering for the work surface may function in lieu of the cover 6. When the ends of the channels are closed, more air will be brought into intimate contact with the work surface. It will be apparent also that in cases where the work surface is flat or of specific contour other than flat, the grid structure if flat or if conformed in shape originally to the said specific contour may be more or less inflexible or even rigid.

The term ventilating as used herein is intended to embrace broadly any function related to the passage of fluid over a work surface and is not to be construed as imposing a limitation in the uses to which the grid structure may be placed.

I claim:

1. A surface ventilator structure comprising an open grid adapted for disposition with one face thereof in confronting contiguous relation with a work surface to be ventilated, and duct means at the opposite face of the grid communicating with the openings in the latter, said openings constituting a major part of the surface area of the work-confronting face of the grid, and the elements of the grid which define and separate said openings tapering outwardly to reduce the surface area of the elements at the work-confronting face of the grid.

2. A surface ventilator structure comprising an open grid adapted for disposition with one face thereof in confronting contiguous relation with a work surface to be ventilated, said grid consisting of an integrally molded body of flexible material having integral projecting elements at the opposite face defining duct means communicating with the grid openings, and a facing sheet impermeable to air attached to said elements to complete the duct means.

3. A surface ventilator structure comprising an open grid adapted for disposition with one face thereof in confronting contiguous relation with a work surface to be ventilated, and duct means at the opposite face of the grid communicating with the openings in the latter, the elements of the grid which define and separate the openings being provided at their work-confronting edges with air flow notches.

4. In a surface ventilator, a pad-like flexible grid structure adapted for disposition with one face thereof in confronting contiguous relation with a work surface to be ventilated, said structure having at said one face a system of narrow, flexible, intercrossed elements forming an open grid whereof the openings between said elements collectively embrace a materially greater part of the area of said face than do said elements, and having a series of thin elongated flexible elements extending across the back of said grid in side-by-side laterally spaced relation to form the side walls of a closely adjoining series of air conductor channels opening to said grid and affording a support for the grid capable collectively of supporting the latter under the weight of a human body without crushing to an extent rendering the said channels inoperative for the air conducting function, the said thin channel elements offering minimum obstruction to the open grid area and to flow of air by way of the channels over the work surface.

57 A surface ventilator according to claim 4 including flexible backing means uniting the free edges of the channel elements.

6. A surface ventilator according to claim 5 wherein the channel elements consist of thin flexible strips individually incapable without collapse of sustaining the weight of the said body.

7. A surface ventilator according to claim 4 wherein the grid structure including the intercrossed and channelforming elements consists of an integrally molded body of rubber or like flexible and resilient material.

8. A surface ventilator according to claim 7 wherein the channel-forming elements constitute integral extensions of certain of the intercrossed elements.

9. In a surface ventilator, a pad-like flexible grid structure adapted for disposition with one face thereof in confronting contiguous relation with a work surface to be ventilated, said structure having at said one face a system of narrow, flexible, intercrossed elements forming an open grid, and having a series of thin, elongated, flexible elements extending across the back of said grid in side-by-side laterally spaced relation to form the side walls of a closely adjoining series of air conductor channels opening to said grid and affording a support for the grid capable collectively of supporting the latter under the weight of a human body without crushing to an extent rendering the said channels inoperative for the air conducting function, the said channel elements oflering a minimum obstruction to the open grid area and to flow of air by way of the channels over the work surface, and a backing sheet attached to the free outer edges of the channel elements and forming with the latter a plurality of individual air ducts connected respectively with different parts of the grid area.

10. A surface ventilator according to claim 9 including means forming a manifold chamber connected with all of said ducts.

11. In a surface ventilator, a pad-like flexible grid structure consisting of a plurality of narrow, elongated, flexible partitioning elements forming the sides of a closely adjoining series of parallel air channels, narrow, flexible elements connecting the proximate edges of said partitioning elements and forming with the latter an open grid at one face of the pad the openings of which communicate with the said channels, and a flexible facing sheet of material impermeable to air extending over and attached to edges of the partitioning elements and forming the other face of the pad.

12. A ventilator according to claim 11 including means for distributing pressure air from a remote source to said channels.

13. A ventilator according to claim 11 wherein the said partitioning elements are made of rubber-like material having stiffness such that the elements are capable of supporting the weight of a human body imposed upon the grid face of the pad without crushing to an extent closing the said channels.

14. A ventilator according to claim 13 wherein the partitioning elements and the complementary open grid forming elements are integral parts of a molded structure.

15. In a surface ventilator, a pad comprising a system of interconnected flexible elements having the collective strength to support the weight of a human body applied to one face of the pad, a facing sheet of materials impermeable to air underlying the said system of elements at one face of the pad, a mesh overlying the said system of elements at the other face of the pad, said mesh being characterized by closely set openings distributed over the entire said face and defined by intercrossed elements of such narrowness as to leave the face substantially free from dead area non-accessible to ventilation by air passing through the mesh, and means for admitting pressure air to the space occupied by said flexible elements between said facing sheet and said mesh.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

